Mobile devices operate in communication networks that provide various types of services to users. For example, video and audio streaming services as well as internet access are often offered to users of mobile devices. In video streaming, an effectively continuous stream of video images is provided to users of the mobile devices is that these users may view movies, television programming or conference calls in substantially real time. Video steaming can be provided using internet access. Other types of services that provide substantially real time and continuous data to a mobile device can be accessed using the internet. In audio streaming, a stream of audio packets may be sent to the user to provide, for instance, similar services for music or radio programming services.
Streaming video and audio and other internet services consume significant amounts of system capacity. In addition, mobile media streaming is anticipated to only grow in the future. The ability to provide these services to the mobile devices and the quality of these services may depend upon operating conditions of the network and the amount of data that is streaming. For instance a mobile station may operate at the edge of a coverage area, and experience poor radio frequency (RF) operating conditions. When the mobile device experiences poor operating conditions and there is a significant amount of media services being provided, the media services provided to the user may be terminated or the Quality-of-Service (QoS) may be degraded.
Unfortunately, previous systems have not always considered operating conditions of the network and media conditions when providing media services to users. Consequently, as operating conditions of mobile devices deteriorate poor or dropped coverage may occur. Media optimization can also be performed, but these methods can be expensive and do not perform up to expectations. Media optimization can complicate performance on the radio access network by causing pre-handover traffic pre-emption, changing bit-rates, codecs and protocols. Media optimization may not work with proprietary codecs and encrypted video and audio streams. In view of the foregoing, there is a need for an improved media optimization that works with a radio access network.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.